Education and youth unemployment in South Africa

Type Working Paper - Southern Africa Labour and Development Research Unit
Title Education and youth unemployment in South Africa
Author(s)
Issue 22
Publication (Day/Month/Year) 2008
Page numbers 1-34
URL http://www.saldru.uct.ac.za/home/index.php?/component/option,com_docman/Itemid,32/limitstart,40/
Abstract
The problem of high youth unemployment is a global phenomenon. According to an International Labour Office study in 2004, youth (15-24) make up nearly half (47%) of the world's unemployed, 88 million out of 186 million, even though youth are only 25% of the world's working age population. Of the world's 550 million working poor who cannot lift themselves above US $1 per day poverty measure, 150 million are youth. The ILO estimated in 2004 that halving global youth unemployment would increase global GDP by US $2.2 trillion, 4% of global GDP. These statistics lend weight to the notion that youth unemployment is a problem worthy of attention. In addition, one may argue that addressing unemployment in general would also lower poverty levels and add to GDP (World Bank 2006). \n

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